Give one example of a series of energy transformations. For example solar energy from a plant changes to kinetic energy in an animal's body and so on.
How about a candle giving light and heat? Or gasoline and air (chemical energy) burning in an engine and accelerating a car (to produce kinetic and heat energy)
One example of a series of energy transformations could be the process of generating electrical energy from a power plant.
1. Chemical to Thermal Energy: In most power plants, fossil fuels like coal, oil, or natural gas are burned. This combustion releases chemical energy stored in the fuels, which is then converted into thermal energy. The heat produced by burning the fossil fuels is used to boil water in a boiler.
2. Thermal to Mechanical Energy: The boiling water produces high-pressure steam, which expands and rotates a turbine. As the steam flows over the turbine blades, its thermal energy is converted into mechanical energy. The rotations of the turbine generate mechanical motion.
3. Mechanical to Electrical Energy: The rotating turbine is connected to a generator. The mechanical energy of the turbine is used to rotate a shaft inside the generator, which contains a coil of wire surrounded by magnets. The relative motion between the wire and the magnets induces an electric current in the wire, converting the mechanical energy into electrical energy.
4. Electrical Energy Distribution: The generated electrical energy is then transmitted through power lines over long distances to reach homes, businesses, and other users. The electrical energy can be transformed into different forms (e.g., light energy, sound energy) by various electrical appliances and devices.
In this series of energy transformations, chemical energy is initially stored in fossil fuels, which is converted to thermal energy. Then, thermal energy is transformed into mechanical energy, followed by the conversion of mechanical energy into electrical energy. The electrical energy is then distributed and eventually used for various purposes.